The present invention relates, in general, to a thrust bearing, and more particularly to a double-row axial thrust bearing of a type having two rims of rolling bodies disposed in side-by-side relationship between a middle and two outer running disks, with both rims supported with their receiving bore on a sleeve securely fixed to a shaft, and with the middle running disk rotatably arranged on the sleeve.
A thrust bearing of this type is disclosed in German Offenlegungsschrift DE-OS 20 44 074. The sleeve is securely connected to the shaft and has opposite end surfaces for support of two outer running disks, while the middle running disk, disposed between the outer running disks, encircles the sleeve and is rotatably arranged. The integrity of this thrust bearing is realized by a wedge-shaped split ring which snaps in a wedge-shaped groove on the shaft. This type of thrust bearing has many shortcomings. For one, the wedge-shaped ring and the complementary shaft groove have to be made at high precision. Further, this type of thrust bearing cannot be pre-manufactured as a complete structural unit. Rather, the individual components must be shipped to the user in dismantled form.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved axial thrust bearing to obviate prior art shortcomings and to allow a pre-fabrication thereof in a simple manner while still being reliable in operation.